James Fitzgerald Therapy PLLC

 

James Fitzgerald Therapy, PLLC

James Fitzgerald, MS, NCC, Psychotherapist

Strengthening Your Conscious Self © 2022

Treatment Planning

During the treatment planning process:

  • Verbalize an accurate understanding of the presenting problems (diagnoses) and how they developed.
  • Discuss how symptoms result from life events, experiences and environment, and results in intrusive recollection, unwarranted fears, anxiety, and a vulnerability to other negative emotions such as shame, anger, and guilt; and results in avoidance of thoughts, feelings, and activities associated with the events and experiences.
  • Verbalize an understanding of the treatment rationale for mental health disorders and other problems.
  • Discuss effective treatments for mental health care that address the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral consequences of mental health disorders using neurological, cognitive, emotional, somatic, polyvagal, and behavioral therapy approaches.
  • Read psychoeducational chapters of books or treatment manuals that explain features and development of the symptoms of the disorder. See the separate page about additional resources for a complete book list.
  • Read self-help and self-improvement books and read and complete self-help and self-improvement workbooks.
  • Begin watching instructional and educational videos about the different therapy styles, approaches, and interventions.

SAMHSA Guiding Principles of Recovery: [The Adult Psychotherapy Treatment Planner by Jongsma – Wiley Publishing] 

The rest of this page details objectives and interventions taken from the Wiley Publishing Treatment Planner Series of books. The objectives and interventions are meant for educational purposes only. Consider them a resource for planning your treatment, to give you ideas and concepts. Your official treatment plan (created together with your therapist) is separate from this online document. The first set of objectives and interventions are based on guidelines published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

A Self Directed Pathway

  • Make it clear (verbalized) to your therapist (me), family, and friends what path to recovery, health, and wellness you would prefer.
    • You and I will explore your thoughts, needs, and preferences regarding your desired pathway to recovery from (addiction, anxiety, depression, trauma, and/or other mental health problems).
    • You and I will discuss the alternative treatment interventions and community support resources that might facilitate and supplement your recovery.
    • I will ask you about your preferences regarding the direction your therapy action plan will take; and I will support you as you communicate these preferences to your family and significant others.

Individualized & Person-Centered Plan

  • You and I will specify any unique needs and cultural preferences that must be taken into consideration during the psychotherapy, counseling, and health & wellness life coaching process.
    • We will explore any cultural considerations, experiences, or other needs that must be considered while we are formulating your mutually agreed upon individualized therapy action plan.
    • We will explore the language of “treatment” and how I use terms like therapy action plan, psychotherapy, counseling, and health & wellness life coaching under the auspices of “treatment.”
    • We will modify, as necessary, treatment planning to accomodate your cultural and experiential background and preferences.

Client Empowerment for Decisions about Treatment

  • Verbalize an understanding that decision making throughout the treatment process is self-controlled. You are the captain of your ship (yourself), and I am the navigator and cartographer with the map. Also keep in mind, that the map is not the territory, it is but a guide through the territory.
    • I will clarify with you that you have the right to choose and select among options and participate in all the decisions that affect you during the treatment process.
    • I will continuously offer and explain options to you as your treatment progresses in support of your sense of empowerment, while also encouraging and reinforcing your participation in treatment decision making.
    • You have a right to review (within 12 business days) your assessment results, diagnosis, treatment plan, treatment plan progress, process notes, and progress notes, when you request them in writing. I might even share with you in session what I am writing on the note pad.

Holistic (All Areas of Life – All Health Domains) 

  • Express mental, physical, spiritual, and community needs and desires that should be integrated into the treatment process. (i.e. health coaching, smoking cessation, nutritional diet, prayer, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, etc.)
    • We will assess and review your personal, interpersonal, medical, spiritual, community, and social values, strengths, and weaknesses.
    • We will maintain a holistic approach to treatment planning by integrating your unique mental, physical, spiritual, and social needs and assets into the plan. We will arrive at an agreement as to how these integrations will be made.

Nonlinear Approach (Full Spectrum of Experience)

  • Verbalize an understanding that during the treatment process there will be successes, stagnation, failures, progression, barriers, and setbacks.
    • I will facilitate realistic expectations and hope in you that positive change is possible, but rarely occurs in a linear process of straight line successes. I will emphasize a recovery process involving personal growth and self improvement, learning from both advances and setbacks, and staying on course with your ship.
    • I will stay the course with you (as your trusted navigator) during and after the difficult, uncomfortable, and often painful setbacks and lapses.

Identify Strengths to Integrate in Plan

  • Cooperate with an assessment of your personal strengths and assets that you bring into the treatment process.
    • Take the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS): A strength-based approach to assessment (Epstein)
    • We will identify your strengths through assessment involving social, cognitive, relational, and spiritual aspects of your life. We will identify the coping skills that have worked for you in the past to overcome problems. We will identify the talents and abilities that characterize your daily life.
    • I will provide you with feedback about your identified strengths and how those strengths can be integrated into short term and long term recovery and health and wellness program planning. 

Identify Peer Supports to Integrate with Plan

  • Verbalize an understanding of the benefits of peer support during recovery and the treatment process.
    • You and I will discuss the benefits of peer support (e.g., sharing common problems, receiving advice regarding successful coping skills, getting encouragement, learning of helpful community resources, etc.) toward coming to an agreement for you to engage in peer support activities.
    • I will provide you with information about peer support groups of your choice in the community and we will process your experience of following through on that commitment.
    • I will help you build and reinforce your sense of belonging, connection to others, supportive relationship building, social value, and community integration by processing the gains and problem-solving the obstacles encountered through your social activities.

Respect (Validation, Dignity, Fidelity, Integrity)

  • Agree to reveal when any occasion arises that respect is not felt, there is a disconnect, or trust is broken from the therapist, family, self, or the community.
    • We will discuss the crucial role that respect plays in recovery, reviewing subtle and obvious ways in which disrespect may be shown to or experienced by the client.
    • We will review ways in which you have felt disrespected in the past, identifying sources of that disrespect.
    • I will encourage and reinforce your self-concept as a person deserving of respect; and will advocate for you to increase incidents of respectful treatment within the community and/or family system.

Responsibility and Accountability

  • Verbalize acceptance of responsibility for self-care and participation in decisions during the treatment process.
    • I will help develop, encourage, support, and reinforce your role as the person in control of your treatment and responsible for its application to your daily life; and adopt a supportive role as a resource person to assist you in the recovery process.

Instill and Foster Hope

  • Express hope that better functioning in the future can be attained.
    • We will discuss potential role models who have achieved a more satisfying life by using their personal strengths, skills, and social support to live, work, learn, and fully participate in society toward building hope and incentive motivation.
    • We will work together to enhance internalization of your self-concept as a person capable of overcoming obstacles and achieving satisfaction in living; I will continuously build and reinforce this self-concept using past and present examples that support it